Functionalized Ti3C2Tx-based nanocomposite coatings for anticorrosion and antifouling applications

• Published in: Chemical engineering journal (Lausanne, Switzerland : 1996) Vol. 448; p. 137668
• Main Authors: Wang, Peng, He, Baoluo, Du, Yixuan, Wang, Biwen, Gao, Jingde, Liu, Shujuan, Ye, Qian, Zhou, Feng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 15-11-2022
• Subjects: Anticorrosion; Antifouling; Controlled release; Functionalized MXene; Functionalized MXene; Anticorrosion; Antifouling; Controlled release
• ISSN: 1385-8947; 1873-3212
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2022.137668

A novel copolymer (PMBTMA-co-PSPMA)-functionalized Ti3C2Tx was successful prepared via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization, the as-prepared functionalized Ti3C2Tx based nanocomposite coating exhibits satisfactory antibacterial, antifouling and anticorrosion properties.
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•Block copolymer (PMBTMA-co-PSPMA)-functionalized Ti3C2Tx were successfully prepared.•The as-prepared functionalized Ti3C2Tx can be blended well with waterborne epoxy resin to prepare nanocomposite coating.•The nanocomposite coating exhibits satisfactory antibacterial, antifouling and anticorrosion properties.•The nanocomposite coating can release of corrosion inhibitor 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT) on-demand.
Marine corrosion and biofouling are a major issue affecting the development of the marine industry. Traditional single-function coatings, such as those that provide either antifouling or anticorrosion, cannot meet the requirements in the current hostile conditions. In our study, block copolymer-functionalized Ti3C2Tx was successful prepared and employed to synthesize a nanocomposite coating with satisfactory antifouling and anticorrosion performances, in which the anticorrosion agent poly(2-mercaptobenzothiazole) (PMBTMA) was first grafted on the Ti3C2Tx surface, after which the antifouling agent poly(3-sulfopropyl methacrylate potassium (PSPMA) was grafted via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP), to obtain the block copolymer (PMBTMA-co-PSPMA)-functionalized Ti3C2Tx (abbreviated as TMS). An appropriate corrosion protection and antifouling mechanism in the functionalized Ti3C2Tx-based epoxy nanohybrid coatings is proposed. It is noteworthy that the antibacterial activity of the proposed coating stems from the synergistic bactericidal effect of Ti3C2Tx and 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT). The outstanding antibacterial properties of the TMS and the strong surface hydration of the anionic polymer brushes PSPMA, endow the as-prepared TMS-based nanocomposite coating (TMS/EP) with good antifouling performance (removal of more than 55% of bacteria and removal rate of microalgae up to 71%). More importantly, the TMS/EP has excellent corrosion resistance ability, which is due to the good synergistic anticorrosion barrier effect of Ti3C2Tx nanosheets and the on-demand release of corrosion inhibitor MBT during the corrosion process.